04 2018
Kulturverein Berg “BERGENNALE” 2018

The Bergennale is a series of exhibitions of contemporary art in the fields of painting, sculpture, photography and video art. As one of 46 artists, I am pleased that the top-class jury has chosen my work “Safe”. The Bergennale brings together international and local artists. 46 artists take part in the exhibition, which runs until April 22 in the Berger Marstall. - An axe. The oldest tool of mankind. This one, however, as it lies handy next to the entrance door, is neither suitable for splitting nor for carving. Its handle is made of steel, the blade of wood. Sebastian Wanke has ventured a simple reversal of the challenging motto of this year's Bergennale. This was “antipole” and was probably intended to encourage people to take a position on whatever. The idea of bringing together international and local artists in Berg came from the late artist Andreas Rumland. A call for entries was issued for the realization of the project, and a jury was appointed, consisting of the president of the Academy of Fine Arts, Professor Dieter Rehm, the art historian Anna Wondrak and Susanne Flesche, director of the Institute for Exhibition Partnership. 200 applications were received, 46 artists were able to participate in the exhibition. For one year Marlies Beth, Lucie Plaschka and Petruschka Thomas from the Berger Kulturverein were busy preparing this art event. They meticulously planned the hanging using a model of the Berger Marstall, which Andreas Rumland had built to scale. New lamps were purchased, which put everything in the right light. The show is opened, the art-loving public is challenged. The variety will make it difficult for the independent jury to choose a winner. The jury prize of 1000 euros will be awarded at the finissage on Sunday, April 22, at 7 pm. The audience award is a pink pug. The installation "Normalitätsbias" by Ilka Leukefeld from London catches the eye. Society is in a kind of state of shock, the artist believes, it can no longer react to world events. Her contribution are eight animal figures tied together from garbage bags. They hang like black clouds under the ceiling, covered with neon-colored linen, on which a rubber glove or a roll of toilet paper points to human beings as animal owners. In the photos, Katja Gehrung convinces with her visual language. On the subject of “factory farming” she stages a female nude with an animal mask, which was taken in the open air, the truck tracks in the background lead into hopelessness. Sheep sculptures in original size by Nelly Schmücking question the validity of the rural idyll, Hong Yun He draws sheep portraits with a stupid sheep view on plywood panels. But one can also make antipoles of artistic positions the subject, like Monika Buchen. She brings constructivism and gestural painting together. Hedwig Katzenberger and Ulla Ströhmann show monochrome paintings. Photos, objects, painting, sculptures made of wood, glass, metal, and handicrafts. They are crocheted and knitted, sometimes with wire, sometimes with wool, or with a pencil, like John Schmitz, who curls lines on paper. Do you reach the opposite pole when you dive headfirst into the water? In Ina Kohlschowski's work, a girl jumps upside down in the water. A beautiful picture for the invitation to dive into the Bergennale. The exhibition runs until April 22 in the Marstall, Mühlgasse 7, in Berg. It is open from Thursday to Saturday, 2 to 7 pm, and Sunday, 11 to 7 pm. Astrid Amelungse-Kurth Report in the SZ